Chapter 2 #2
“Do not say such things, Caroline,” Bingley reproved his sister. “She is a very agreeable woman, to be sure, and pleasant to converse with. When we attended the assembly, I had a most agreeable time with her.”
“And you would have been amenable to marrying a woman like her, I suppose?” Caroline said archly. “Men always say it is not about a woman’s looks, and yet they never do seem to choose plain girls — not those who have the power of choosing to please themselves, at any rate.”
Bingley looked distressed. “What can you mean, Caroline? Mrs Collins is a married woman. Of course, I did not consider marrying the young lady —”
“Young lady? She is seven and twenty, Charles. She is hardly young. And it shows,” Mrs Hurst chimed in.
“If she had not married Mr Collins, she would have been a spinster well in the making.” She pinned her little brother with a piercing stare.
“And see that you keep your distance from her parents, Charles. They are hardly fit company.”
“Sir William is a knight. I do not see what is so terrible about that,” Bingley argued, looking rather beleaguered. “He was very kind to come and welcome me to the community when I first arrived.”
“No doubt his wife had his eye on you the minute your carriage rolled up the drive here at Netherfield. Indeed, every matchmaking mother within twenty miles knew of your coming before you had walked through the door of your new home. Even this widow, Mrs Bennet.”
“You said four of the five Bennet daughters lived at the cottage? Where, then, is the fifth?” Mrs Hurst asked.
Bingley chose to overlook all that was supercilious in her tone and respond only to the words, which were reasonable enough.
“Sir William says the second eldest daughter now lives in London with her aunt and uncle. A necessary economy, I would imagine. Her aunt and uncle, the Gardiners, have four young children, and I suppose she acts as a sort of governess for them.”
Caroline scrunched up her nose, as if the very idea was disgusting to her. “Well, no person of quality would be interested in them now. I am glad that our father had the good sense to put a generous dowry aside for each of us, instead of leaving us ruined when he passed away.”
Very naturally, Bingley took offense at this. “It is true that Papa had a good business mind. But I am glad that we had him for as long as we did. Indeed, I would much rather have him back than have his money.”
Darcy’s heart went out to his young friend.
Despite Bingley’s good sense and excellent character, he had often floundered in knowing how to proceed after his father’s untimely illness and demise.
Darcy knew exactly how he felt, for his father had also died and left the inheritance and running of the Pemberley estate to him when he was a young man.
Whatever small pieces of advice he had offered his friend, Bingley had been grateful for, likely in considerable excess of their merit.
There was, of course, another objection to Mis Bingley’s thoughtless remark. “Do you know, I rather suspect that Mr Bennet would have preferred to provide for his family as well, had he been able,” Darcy remarked dryly. A brief silence followed this reproof.
“Well, I, for one, will be glad to leave this dull countryside and have some activity to look forward to. What do you think, Charles? Shall we all go to London?” Caroline Bingley suggested.
Bingley heartily agreed, to the delight of all his relations.
Mr and Mrs Hurst, who preferred to live at Bingley’s expense than their own, and were therefore dependent on where he might choose to live, were particularly enthusiastic.
Likely, they also welcomed the degree of separation that would be provided by a larger party.
He suspected that having to endure each other’s company with no buffer would have been a punishment too terrible for either of them.
Bingley smiled and looked at Darcy. “It is settled then,” he said. “Would you be too inconvenienced if I were to ride with you in your carriage? It will give the ladies and Mr Hurst more room in my carriage for the journey.”
“Of course, it would be a pleasure,” Darcy said. The pleasant company would make the journey go by considerably more quickly.
“I will be glad to leave Hertfordshire,” Caroline said as she went back to the card table. Mrs Hurst joined her a moment later, and they continued with their game. “I do not think I shall ever be prevailed upon to return. How little society there is here, especially compared to London!”
Darcy silently exulted in the fact that he would soon be in his own house, free from such frequently onerous society. And he would have his sister’s sweet company to look forward to for the Christmas season. It had been far too long since he had seen her.
Three days later, Darcy and the rest of the party arrived in London, having waited for a pause in the snow to depart.
Wise though this intention was, it proved to be in vain, for the snow started again not an hour after they had departed.
In the end, the journey had been wearying and rather cold, but thankfully uneventful.
Now, as Darcy climbed the steps to his London townhouse, he allowed his mind to settle.
When he walked into the house, Georgiana was rushing to the landing to greet him.
She ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck in a sisterly embrace, as she had done from the time she was a child.
He was relieved, for she had not shown such open joy since her near-disaster at Ramsgate.
“Oh, Brother! How I have missed you!” she said, burying her face in his shoulder as she continued to cling to him.
“I have missed you too, Georgiana.” He held her close, and when Georgiana released him, he looped his arm through hers. They walked to the drawing room together.
Darcy looked around curiously. “Where is Mrs Annesley? I hope she has been good company for you.”
“The very best,” Georgiana assured him. “Mrs Annesley is in her room with a headache. She offered to wait down here with me, but, hoping that you would arrive soon, I told her it was not needed. She is an ideal companion, Fitz. You need have no concerns on that account.”
“It must be so, for you are looking very well,” he observed.
“And you are looking rather cold and tired,” she returned.
“I cannot deny it,” Darcy said with a sigh.
“I hope you are hungry as well, for I’ve ordered a special tea for us.” Georgiana drew him to sit with her on the settee. He gave a long sigh, and she patted his back. “You must be exhausted. If you would rather lie down for a while before we have tea, I can ask that it be kept aside for us.”
“No, not at all. A good cup of tea is just what I need,” Darcy said.
Unfortunately, Miss Bingley had insisted on riding in his coach for the last length of the trip.
She had talked incessantly, and there was little else that grated on his nerves like someone who did not know when it was better to say nothing.
Leaving them at Bingley’s townhouse had been a considerable relief.
For Bingley’s sake, Darcy could only hope he found his sister’s company more enjoyable.
Darcy settled back on the settee, closing his eyes for a moment. Georgiana turned to him. “Was the journey very dreadful? I was so worried when I received your letter with the news that you would be coming to London. It has been snowing almost every day.”
“Yes, it snowed all throughout the journey. But thank heaven we did not have any broken wheels or come upon any parts of the road that were too muddy to traverse.”
“You needn’t have come, Fitz. Mrs Annesley and I would have been very comfortable at my uncle’s house. Our aunt invited us to stay for the whole week of Christmas. But when I received your letter, I wanted to be here to greet you.”
“You could have stayed if you wished. Indeed, you may still go, if you would like. I am sure our aunt would love to have the company.”
“Oh, she has no end of company. Did you know she is holding a party every night this week?” Georgiana asked. “I am glad I am not out yet, you know, so I can have a good excuse to stay here.”
Darcy turned to her, a little concerned. “You do not want to be a part of the festivities?”
“I do not mind going to one or two of her soirees. But to be out every night in the company of strangers — I did not think my constitution would bear up under such a strain.” She linked arms with him and laid her head on his shoulder. “But now that you are here, I can bear up under anything.”
Darcy chuckled. “Do you know, I feel quite the same way,” he said. After a moment of silence, he turned to her, and she shifted so she could look into his eyes. “I had hoped that you were starting to feel more yourself. But I apologise if my long absence was a burden to your recovery.”
Georgiana straightened as the door opened and one of the maids wheeled in a silver cart with the tea service.
Georgiana thanked the girl, then sent her away so they could have their privacy.
“I am recovering,” Georgiana said when the maid had gone out and they were alone again.
She poured the tea while she spoke. “But it has been awfully lonely without you. I know I am not out yet, but if I can accompany you when you go on your long trips to London, or wherever you might be staying, I would much prefer it. I am not so aggrieved now as to prefer solitude, especially over your company.”
“Really?” Darcy asked. “I would be most happy to have you with me, if you feel yourself equal to it. I wanted to respect your need for privacy after the incident.”
“And I was heartily glad of it, at first,” Georgiana said, sighed heavily as she handed him his cup of tea, and she sat down beside him. “But now I believe I am ready for the next step. The quiet gave me too much time to think.”
“I suppose too much time to think could be just as detrimental as too little. I am sorry it has been so difficult. I should have been there.”
“It is all right, Fitz. I am well. But I realise I cannot keep to myself forever. At some point, I will have to enter society.” She frowned. “I do not know where in the world that horrible man is, but I would hate to think that he could believe me to pine for him. I will not give him that power.”
“Good. I am glad to hear it.” Darcy said. “And I doubt he will ever dare to show his face again. If he does, I shall have some choice words to say to him.”
Georgiana sipped at her tea, then relaxed against the back of the settee with him.
Darcy would not normally allow himself to be so lounged about, but there were no callers, and he was exhausted from the long journey.
“He is not worth it,” she said. “I doubt we shall ever see him again. But if we do, I shall hold my head up high and ignore him entirely. My words and time are too valuable to be wasted anymore on the likes of him.”
“Bravo,” Darcy said.
“Yes, now let us speak of something pleasant. What have you brought me for Christmas?” she asked.
He laughed. “Well, that, my dear sister, is a secret you will not find out until Christmas Day.” He tweaked her on the nose, as he had so often done when she was a little girl.
But she would not be a little girl for much longer.
Indeed, she was more woman than girl even now.
A terrifying thought, to one who was almost a father to her, but an unavoidable thought nonetheless.
But whatever sadness there might be in seeing a beloved little sister grow up, it could be nothing to the joy of seeing Georgiana recover her spirits.
It was good indeed to see that she was coming out of the gloom that had nearly consumed her after Ramsgate.
He would do whatever it took to see that her smile was never wiped away again.